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Mar 9, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates shortstop Konnor Griffin (75) runs to second base on a two-rbi double against the New York Yankees in the fifth inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
There's the exciting side to every roster move -- in this case, the Pittsburgh Pirates selecting the contract of phenom Konnor Griffin, which puts him on the 40-man roster and into the major leagues for his MLB debut on Friday.
And then there's the negative side -- they had to get rid of someone from the 40-man roster to allow for the promotion.
The Pirates cleared space by designating Enmanuel Valdez for assignment.
The DFA for Valdez means he is off the 40-man roster, but he has to pass through waivers. Another MLB team could choose to claim Valdez off waivers, which would take him from the Pirates.
ROSTER MOVE: The Pittsburgh Pirates today selected the contract of infielder Konnor Griffin from Triple-A Indianapolis.
Infielder Enmanuel Valdez was designated for assignment to make room for Griffin on the 40-man roster.
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Valdez isn't a humongous loss, but he never really panned out for the Pirates.
A 27-year old infielder from the Dominican Republic, Valdez has gotten 431 at bats at the MLB level and hit .230 with 14 home runs.
He doesn't add value defensively, and his bat isn't quite good enough.
Because he has that MLB experience, though, there's a chance another team chooses to claim him off waivers and see if they can develop him better.
No Pirates fans will complain about this move, because Griffin is coming. It's just not a great day for Valdez -- unless the DFA opens the door for him to go somewhere new that's better for him.
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